Breakdown of Wie wir besprochen haben, ordnest du den Ordner in das Regal ein.
du
you (informal singular)
in
in
haben
to have
wir
we
wie
how
das Regal
the shelf
besprechen
to discuss (talk over)
der Ordner
the folder
einordnen
to file
Questions & Answers about Wie wir besprochen haben, ordnest du den Ordner in das Regal ein.
Doesn't wie usually mean 'how'? Why is it translated as 'as' here?
You're right that wie is the question word for 'how'. However, it can also be used as a subordinating conjunction to mean 'as' or 'in the way that', especially when referring back to something known or previously stated. In Wie wir besprochen haben (As we discussed), it connects the background information to the main action.
Why is the word order ordnest du instead of du ordnest in the second half?
Because the sentence starts with a subordinate clause (Wie wir besprochen haben). In German, the main clause has a strict 'verb-second' rule. The entire Wie... clause counts as the first block of information, so the main verb (ordnest) must come immediately after the comma, pushing the subject (du) to the third position.
Why is it in das Regal (accusative) rather than in dem Regal (dative)?
The preposition in is a two-way preposition. It takes the accusative case when there is a change of location or an action directed toward a destination ('into'), and the dative case for a fixed location ('inside'). Since you are actively putting the folder into the shelf, it requires the accusative das Regal.
What is the ein doing at the very end of the sentence?
It is the separable prefix of the verb einordnen (to file, sort, or put in its proper place). In a standard main clause, the prefix detaches from the conjugated verb (ordnest) and gets sent to the very end of the sentence.
Are the words ordnest and Ordner related?
Yes, they are closely related. They both belong to the word family for 'order' or 'organization' (Ordnung). An Ordner is literally an 'order-er' (a folder or binder), and the verb einordnen means to put something into order.
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